Humidifier



w. J. WOOLLE-Y HUMIDIFIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 4, 1946 ynne.

1 any; 35.

W. J. WOOLLEY Dec. 26, 1950 HUMIDIFIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 4,1946 INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HUMIDIFIER William J.Woolley, Chicago, 111.

Application March 4, 1946, Serial No. 651,722

12 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a humidifier and particularly to ahumidifying device designed for assembly with an ordinary steamradiator, riser, pipe, or other pertinent part of a steam heating,distribution, or supplying system in place of the ordinary air exhaustvalve.

More particularly the present invention relates to a device which whenassembled with a steam radiator will uniformly emit steam or steamsaturated with water vapor into the air of a room in greater or lesseramounts, depending upon the steam pressure in the radiator. Although ithas heretofore been proposed to assemble various devices with a steamradiator for the purpose of supplying humidity to the steamheated room,in general these devices have been rather complex and were not suitablydesigned to function both as a humidifier and as an air outlet valve.Furthermore, the flow of steam through these devices was not regular andsilent and no means were provided in these prior art devices to vary theamount of moisture, in the form of steam vapor, which was fed inaccordance with the steam pressure. As may readily be understood when agreater amount of steam is supplied to a heating system of the characterdescribed so that greater pressures are built up in the system andradiators, it becomes necessary to supply a greater amount of moistureto the air of t e room being heated.

It is one of the obects of the pres nt invention, therefore, to providea novel steam outlet device which will supply steam, and/or steam inadmixture with wat r vapor, to the air of a room being heated by theradiator to which the outlet device is attached.

A second object of the pre ent invention is to provide an improvedhumidifier device consisting of an outlet valve structure desi ned to beassembled with an ordinary steam radiator and which will uniformly feedsteam from the radiator at a rate increasing with the'pressure of t esteam in the radiator.

A third object-of the nr-sent invention is the provision of a humidifierdevice including a chamber having a lower compartment connected with asteam radiator and outl t means for said compartment including a valvestructure adapted to be opened and closed in ac ordance with an increaseand decrease of steam pressure in the chamber and radiator.

A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a novelconnecting means for a humidifier chamber and the interior of aradiator, said connecting means functioning both as an outlet forcondensed water from the chamber to the radiator and an inlet for steamfrom the radiator to the chamber.

A fifth object of the present invention is to provide in a humidifierdevice a structure comprising two superimposed chambers and meansinter-connecting the chambers so that the outlet of steam from the lowerchamber to the upper chamber may be regulated in accordance with thepressure in the lower chamber, the upper chamber being provided withmeans to muliie the sound of escaping steam.

A sixth object of the present invention is to provide in a humidifierdevice, means to eifectivel regulate the outlet of steam from saiddevice, said means being manually adjustable to vary the response of theregulating means to pressure within said device.

A seventh object of the present invention is to provide in a novelhumidifying device a regulating means capable of regulating the flow 'ofsteam from said device and at the same time preventing steam egress fromthe device when the device is flooded with condensation water.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of ahumidifying device attachable to any desired part of a steam heatingsystem for supplying steam and/0r water vapor therefrom to thesurrounding atmosphere as desired, while completely eliminating thenormal water spitting action of prior humidifiers and air outlet valves.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and figures of the drawingwherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the humidifier device, of the instantinvention, in assembly with a steam radiator;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken substantially online 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are opposite horizontal end views taken substantially onthe lines 3-3 and 44, respectively, in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of disk members in the structure of a mufiierconstituting a part of the humidifier and through which steam or watervapor is discharged into the atmosphere;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line t-6 ofFig. 2 and illustrating an auxiliary part of the mufller structure;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a tongue-shaped baflie member whichserves to divide the inlet passage of the device into steam and waterpassages;

Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line --9 ofFig. 2;

Fig. is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line ibi8 ofFig. 2.

Referring to the figures of the drawing and particularly Figures 1 and 2thereof, the humidifier of the present invention is indicated generallyat [0. This humidifier includes an elongated tubular structure Hconnected to a radiator indicated at E2 as by a nipple i3. It may benoted that the nipple l3 is adapted to be inserted in a radiator inplace of the usual air outlet valve. The tubular casing H is dividedinto two chambers I l and 55 by a depending cup it, which depends fromthe upper edge of the casing ii, and has a generally kettleshape oflesser diameter than the tubular casing ll, so as to be more or lesscompletely surrounded by heating fluid within the lower chamber it.Preferably the cup I6 is formed from a relatively thin highly conductingmetal such as copper or brass. The upper chamber l5 thus superimposedupon the lower chamber id is exposed to heat within the chamber [4 sothat any water condensing in the upper chamber or delivered thereto willbe vaporized instantaneously so as to eliminate the normal waterspitting action of prior art humidifiers and air outlet valves.

The lower wall of the cup i6 is provided with a valve fitting indicatedat ll, provided with a lower port 18 having a conical section is adaptedto receive the conical section 2B of a needle 2!. A port 22 leads fromthe needle valve structure just described to a ball valve indicated ingeneral at 23 and including a ball 24 and an outlet port 25. The needle2! is fixed to the upper end of a float 26 of a relatively heavy gaugerigid material, the float including an air chamber 21 and a dependingskirt 28 separated from the air chamber Z'l as by a partition 29. Thepartition 29 is provided with a central, upwardly extending, cylindricalindentation 39 which functions as a seat for a cylindrical stud 33 onthe upper end of a bellows 3i and has straight vertical walls coactingwith the stud 33 to guide relative movements of. the float 2B and thebellows 31.

The bellows Si is of the conventional Sylphon type and is capable ofbeing compressed or shortened when the pressure on the exterior of thebellows is greater than on the interior of the bellows. The lower end ofthe bellows 35 is fastened to a rod 32 which is threadedly receivedwithin a bushing 34 soldered or otherwise suitably aflixeol to thebottom wall 35 of the tubular chamber ii. The lower end of the rod 32extends through a packing gland projecting from the lower end of thebushing 34 and including a nut 36 which is capable of being movedvertically to compress the packing 3'5 within the gland. The ex remelower end of the rod 32 is provided with a knob 33 attached to the rod32 as by a hollow screw 39. The rod 32 is provided with an interior boreMl communicating with the bore 4| in the hollow screw at one end andwith the interior of the bellows 3! at the other end.

iii)

The nipple it which connects the chamber l4 with the radiator i2 isprovided with a battle and 4? which provide shoulders to prevent axialmovement of the battle when assembled within the nipple IS. The end ofthe slot 43 terminates a short distance beyond the inner projections 16,4? in a downwardly turned tongue portion 48. The radiator end of thebaffle 42 is also provided with a downwardly turned lip 58. As shown inFigures 2 and 8 the downwardly turned tongue portion '33 issubstantially narrower than the interior bore of the nipple l3 and isspaced inwardly a short distance therefrom so as to provide a pair ofports on opposite sides for the return flow of condensation water fromthe chamber 14 to the radiator, the tongue 48 thus functioning tostimulate such bleeding action. It will be noted further that thedownwardly turned portion 48 is of the width of the slot 43 and in themanufacture of the baflie member 42 the tongue portion 48 is preferablystruck downwardly during the formation of the slot 43.

The general purpose of the baiiie member 42 is to divide the interiorbore of the nipple [3 into an upper steam inlet portion for steam flowfrom the radiator into the chamber i i, and a lower water outlet portionfor condensation water. The downwardly turned lip 56 facilitates theseparation of the condensation water flowing out and the steam flowinginto the bore of the nipple 13, as shown in Figure 2. The bafiie member42 is formed of sufficiently flexible metal to permit the compression ofthe same and the entry of the outer projecting portions 46 and 51 intothe bore within the nipple [3 during assembly. The distance between theprojecting portions 46 and is such that the projecting portions bear onthe ends of the nipple [3. In its expanded width the baffle member 42 isas wide as the diameter of the interior bore of the nipple I3 so thatthe baffle member fits snugly within the nipple and is selflockedtherein. This baffle 42 is essential to produce the desired return flowof condensation water through the nipple it from chamber It to theradiator while steam is flowing therethrough in the opposite direction,since in nipples of the very small diameter of that herein used suchoutward flow of steam therethrough will prevent the opposite flow ofwater at the same time if the balile is not employed.

The upper chamber I5 is provided at its upper end with a mufflerstructure which is adapted to retard and muffle the sound of steamemission. The muffler structure comprises a series of central plates 5!,52, 53 and 54 shown assembled in Figure 2 and individually in Figure 5.This mufiier structure preferably also includes a member 55 of asbestoscloth or other suitable material having an upright cylindrical wall 58and a central bottom wall 51 pervious to air or steam. This member 55may be omitted from the structure when the humidifier is used onconnection with systems employing relatively low steam pressures.However, the inclusion thereof has been found to be an advantage whenthe humidifier is used in systems employing higher pressures, as forexample, greater than 3 to 5 pounds per square 751a]: gasket 59 disposedbetween the lower edge of the plate 5| and an outwardly turned circularflange 66 of the cup-like wall member |6, are arranged in superimposedrelation upon the upper end of the cylindrical chamber II where they areclamped tightly into assembly by an annular threaded member 6| turnedupon a threaded ring 62. The threaded ring 62 is welded or other wisesuitably secured about an upper external peripheral portion of the Wallof the chamber Referring to Figure 5 the plate 5| will be seen to have asingle opening or hole 63 at its center, the plate 52 to have aplurality of holes 64 spaced regularly outwardly from the center, theplate 53 to have a single opening 65 at its center considerably largerthan the opening 63 of the plate 5|, and the plate 54 to have aplurality of openings 66 spaced regularly outwardly from its centerwithin a crown or a raised central portion 61 of this plate. Accordinglythe plates when assembled in the stack or pile arrangement, illustratedin Figure 2, present openings in staggered or unaligned relation wherebythe steam discharged through the openings therein is caused to follow atortuous interstitial path illustrated by the arrows in Figure 5.

The plates 5 l, 52 and 53 are resilient and therefore displaceableaxially of the device to facilitate their being spread apart slightly bythe steam forcing its way therebetween for eventual discharge throughthe openings 66 in the plate 55. All of the parts are preferably made ofa material such as copper, brass or the like which is not readilycorrosive by the action of the air and steam. Inasmuch as the rate atwhich the steam can escape through the muliler is diminished by thetortuous path which it must follow between the plates, the noiseresulting from the passage of tl'isteain is mufiled. Further, since theopening 65 is larger in diameter than the opening 63 there will be apressure reduction at the opening 65 resulting in a less rapid rush ofsteam through this opening and consequently lessening the noise due tosteam passage therethrough. The space between the mufiler plate 53 andthe crown 61 of the upper plate 54 cushions the vibrations incurred bysteam escaping from the opening 65 to diminish the amplitude of soundwaves thus produced. This muflling effect is augmented by the fact thatthe steam is discharged from the space between the crown 51 and the pate53 through a plurality of openings 66 out of alignment with the opening65 whereby such sound waves are dispersed so that no hissing soundoccurs.

The rate of flow of steam through the humidifier is determined by theflow rate through the port IS in the valve member When the needle 2| ismoved upwardly toward the seat l9 So that the conical portion 29 bearsagainst the seat IS the needle valve structure is closed completely.However, any movement of the needle 2| upwardly tends to diminish theflow through the passage 8. The needle 2| can be moved upwardly eitherby the float 26 being lifted due to an excess of water in the chamber I4or by the expansion of the Sylphon bellows 3|. Because the float 26however is a relatively rigid structure any expansion of the Sylphonbellows 3| is transmitted directly to the needle 2|. There is thereforeprovided a pressure responsive device for controlling the position ofthe valve needle 2|, this pressure responsive device responding to anydifferential in pressure between the chamber i4 and/or the radiator l2,and the exterior of the chamber Hi. When a greater amount of steam issupplied to the radiator and the pressure with in the radiator andthechamber l4 rises, the bellows 3| will be compressed or shortened andthe needle 2| will be lowered to allow more steam to escape through theport I8.

The purpose of the ball 24 above the port 22 is to immediately preventthe passage of air from the upper chamber l5 and the exterior of thedevice into the lower chamber l4 and the radiator when the so-calledvacuum condition begins to develop. Such a valve alone, however, is notdependable, since although it will hold sufficiently to start a vacuum,it may not retain it; but the resulting expansion of the bellows 3| byatmospheric pressure, due to the reduced pressure in the heating systemunder such circumstances, will raise the float 26 to cause the needle 2|to close the valve port |9. It will be noted that preferably thevertical position of the bellows 3| is such that the needle 2| will openth port at least slightly to permit exit of air when heat is firstsupplied to the radiator 12. The present device therefore may besubstituted for the conventional air outlet valve. The action of thedevice however differs substantially from that of the ordinary airoutlet valv since it permits the escape of steam to provide ahumidifying action. On the contrary, the ordinary outlet valve closes toprevent emission of steam during the actual heat cycle of the radiator.

The knob 38 in the present device when rotated will serve to raise orlower the lower end of the Sylphon bellows 3|. By this means any greateror lesser amount of steam may b emitted from the present humidifierirrespective of the pressure conditions within the radiator. However, atany given setting of the knob 38 the amount of steam emitted will bevaried in accordance with the pressure changes within the radiator andthe chamber l4.

When the chamber l4 receives vapor at relatively low pressure andtemperature so that such vapor condenses rapidly therein, the excessivecondensation water so accumulated will raise the float 26 to cause theneedle 2| to throttle the valve passage l8 and thus decelerate theadmission of steam into the chamber |4 until the condensation water isdischarged back into the radiator at a rate at least equal to that atwhich the steam is being condenser in said chamber.

I claim:

1. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a chamber,means connect-.ng said chamber with the radiator to supply steam to saidchamber at approximately radiator pressure, outlet means for saidchamber to permit steam to flow therefrom for humidifying purposes,means responsiv to the pressure diiierential between the interior ofsaid chamber and the ambient atmosphere to increase the flow of steamthrough said outlet when the steam pressure in said radiator and saidchamber increases, and means to regulate the operative effect of a givenpressure differential upon said 'last mentioned means.

2. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a chamber,means connecting said chamber with the radiator to supply steam to saidchamber at approximately radiator pressure, outlet means for saidchamber to permit steam to flow therefrom for humidifying purposes, andmeans responsive to the pressure differential between the interior ofsaid chamber and the ambient atmosphere to increase the flow of steamthrough said outlet when the steam pressure in 7 said chamber andradiator increases, said last mentioned means including a bellowspositioned in said chamber and having its interior communicating withthe exterior of said chamber.

3. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a chamber,means connecting said chamber with the radiator to supply steam to saidchamber at approximately radiator pressure, outlet means for saidchamber to permit steam to flow therefrom for humidifying purposesincluding a valve, means including a bellows connected to said valve toincrease the rate of flow of steam through said outlet inrespons to anyincrease in steam pressure in said radiator and chamber, and means toadjust the position of said bellows to vary the effect of said bellowson said valve.

4. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a chamber,means for connecting said chamber with the radiator to supply steam tosaid chamber at approximately radiator pressure, an outlet for steam atthe upper end of said chamber, a valve regulating the flow of steamthrough said outlet, a bellows having one of its ends fixed at the lowerend of said chamber, means to connect the interior of said bellows tothe exterior of said chamber so that an increase in pressure in theinterior of said chambeand radiator will contract said bellows, andrelatively rigid con necting means between the upper end of said be1-lows and said Valve so that contraction of said bellows will increasethe flow of steam through said valve.

5. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a chamber,means for connecting said chamber with the radiator to supply steam tosaid chamber at approximately radiator pressure, an outlet for steam atthe upper end of said chamber, a valve re ulating the flow of stainthrough said outlet, a bellows having one of its ends fixed at the lowerend of said chamber, means to connect the interior of said bellows tothe exter or of said chamber so that an increase in pressure in theinterior of said and radiator Jill contract said bellows, reatltllyrigid conns t. g means between the upper end of said bellows and saidvalve so that contraction oi bellows will increase the flow of steamthrough said valve, and manual means to vary the vertical position ofsaid bellows so as to regulate the cperati e effect of said bellows onsaid valve responsive to a given change in. pressure in said chamber.

6. he device of claim 5 wherein the relati ely rigid connecting means isa float connected to said valve to close the same upon excessaccumulation of condensation water in said chamber.

7. A humidifier device comprising a char'ber including a heat-conductingwall dviding such chamber into superposcd compartments, there being aninlet opening for the lower compartment, an outlet opening for the uppercompartment and a passage in said wall between said compartments,one-way flow valve means associated with said passage to prevent baci;flow through said passage from the upper conip3rtment to the lowercompartment, a second valve means associated with said passage andustable to control the flow rate therethrough, a pressure-responsivedevice of the SyEphon type disposed in. the lower compartment with itsends in vertical alignment, a float connected with one end of saidpressure-responsive device, means connecting said end of the device withsaid valve for modifying the adjustment thereof in accordance with theelevation of said end of the device,

settable means connected with the opposite end of saidpressure-responsive device and manipulatasle to change the elevationthereof, sa.d set table means extending outwardly through said chamberand containing a channel providing communication between the interior ofthe pressure-responsive device and the exterior of the chamber.

8. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a pair ofsuperposed chambers, means for connecting the lower of said chamberswith the radiator to supply steam to said lower chamber at approximatelyradiator pressure, connecting means for connecting said upper and lowerchambers to permit steam to flow from the latter for humidifyingpurposes, means responsive to the pressure differential between theinterior of said lower chamber and the ambient atmosphere to increasethe flow of steam through said connecting means when the steam pressurein said radiator and lower chamber increases, and an out-et includingmuiliing means for steam at the upper end of said upper chamber.

9. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a chamber,means connecting the lower end of said chamber with the radiator tosupply steam to said chamber at approximately radiator pressure, saidconnecting means being divided by a baffle into an uppersteam-conducting means and a lower water outlet means, steam outletmeans at the upper end of said chamber, and means responsive to thepressure differential between the interior of said chamber and the am--bient atmosphere to increase the flow through said steam outlet meanswhen the steam pressure in said radiator and chamber increases.

19. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a pair ofsuperimposed chambers, means for connecting the lower of said chamberswith the radiator to supply steam to said lower chamber at approximatelyradiator pressure, connecting means for connecting said upper and lowerchambers to permit steam to flow from the latter for humidifyingpurposes, means responsive to the pressure differential be-- tween theinterior of said lower chamber and the ambient atmosphere to increasethe flow of steam through said connecting means when the steam pressurein said radiator and lower chamber increases, and an outlet includingaplurality of muiiiing means and a pervious diaphragm to reduce the flowof steam through said outlet upon an excess of steam pressure, saidoutlet being positioned at the upper end of said upper chamber.

11. A humidifier device for steam heating systerns, comprising a pair ofsuperimposed chambers, means for connecting the lower of said chamberswith a steam heating system to supply steam to said lower chamber atapproximately the pressure in said system to heat the upper of saidchambers, steam outlet means for connecting said upper and lowerchambers to permit steam to flow from the latter for humidifyingpurposes, and means responsive to the pressure differential between theinterior of said lower chamber and the ambient atmosphere to control theflow or" steam through said outlet means into said upper chamber,whereby any water thereby carried through said outlet means will bevaporized immediately by contact with said heated upper chamber toprevent spitting of water therefrom into the surrounding atmosphere.

12. A humidifier for a steam radiator, or the like, comprising a pair ofsupei imposed chambers,

means for connecting the lower of said chambers with the radiator tosupply steam to said chamber at approximately radiator pressure,connecting means for connecting said upper and lower chambers to permitsteam to flow from the latter for humidifying purposes, means responsiveto the pressure differential between the interior of said lower chamberand the ambient atmosphere to increase the flow of steam through saidconnecting means when the steam pressure in said radiator and lowerchamber increases, whereby any water thereby carried through saidconnecting means will be vaporized immediately by contact with saidheated upper chamber to prevent spitting of water therefrom into thesurrounding atmosphere, and an outlet positioned at the upper end ofsaid upper chamber including an exhaust muflier comprising a series oflaterally bendable resilient plates, each of said plates being providedwith an exhaust opening arrangement, the exhaust Openings in each platebeing laterally spaced from the exhaust openings in each adjacent plate,certain of said plates having the exhaust opening arrangement in thecenter thereof and another next adjacent plate having its exhaustopening arrangement at a point spaced from the center thereof, and meansfor maintaining the edges of said plates in rigid sealed assembly sothat the interior opposed face portions of adjacent plates are incontiguous relation while they are relaxed.

WILLIAM J. WOOLLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 750,582 Brennan Jan. 26, 1904993,250 Wheatley Nov. 10, 1908 1,132,009 Hoffman Mar. 16, 19 5 1,229,43Flockhart June 12, 1917 1,365,284 Shepherd Jan. 11, 1921 1,981,365Macdonald Nov. 20, 1934 2,073,915 Willis Mar. 16, 1937 2,111,437Skilbeck Mar. 15, 1938 2,112,211 Parks Mar. 22,. 1938 2,395,512 SkilbeckFeb. 26, 1946

